The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-04
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

Polished granite i much more durable
than hammered granite. Polishing the
stone prevents the lodging Of moisture
and foreign PARTICLES Oh its surface.
The American expedition TO Russia to
take observations Of the recent eclipse OF
the sun was disappointed. At the place
Of the greatest observation, clouds pre-
vented the work it had projected.
A plant has been discovered in Indi.
which Is said to destroy the power Of
tasting sugar. II Will be useful il coun-
teractinE a morbid appetite for sweet
meuts, which Is an active promoter OF IN
digestion. Another plant found in
Madras destroys the relish for cigars and
tobacco.
The electric light IS being tried in the
Scottish fisheries. As fish are invariably
attracted by a strong light, q powerful
electric lighting apparatus has been
fitted to a steamer plying on the fishing
grounds round the Isle of May, at the
mouth Of the Firth of Forth. 1t is cx-
pected that the brilliant lure Will bring a
good haul.
An instance of the yalue Of photo
graphy in detecting the relative motion
Of stars is given by NJ. de GotEard. Com
parlson Of a recent photograph with
measures recorded by Nogcl in 1S67-69,
appears to show that cluster All g. c.
contains an eleven magnitude star which
has changed its position relatively to the
other stars TO the extent of 2.3 seconds
q year.
The Prussian Society for the Promo
ton of Industry has offered two prizes,
the competitor for one to close with
1887, and for the other with 1888. The
first prize is about $3.50. for the most ex-
haustive critical comparison Of all kinds
of existing bronze, tombac and brass
alloys, used or recommended for ma
chinery; the second is 81, 2l0 for the best
work on light and heat radiation of
burning gases.
a method by which the immense de
posts of iron sand which abound on the
coast of New Zealand can be successfully
utilized has been brought forward The
feature of the new process consists in
uniting a quantity of scoria with the
sand when put in the blast This, it
seems has the effect of preventing the
iron from oxidizing, an obstacle that has
heretofore never been successfully over
come in smelling iron sand.
The annual average Of dangerous
storms in different seas and CULTS has been
tabulated by Mr.. W. Dorbeck, of the
Hong Kong Observatory, as follows:
Arabian Sea, 70; Bay of Bengal, 115;
Southern Indian Ocean, 53; Java Sea,
10; China Sea, pa; Gulf of Mexico,
356. In the Antilles the maximum fire.
quenCy is in August; in the China Sea,
December; Java Sea and Southern Indian
Ocean, February; Bay of Bengal, Oc-
tober; Arabian Sea, June.
The editors of Science have been max
ing an investigation as to the hcalthful-
ness of the milk produced by COWS fed
upon the waste from distilIeries. Re-
ports have been furnished them by the
leading physicians and sanitarians Of the
country, which display most remarkable
difference of opinion. While the
majority consider ''distile~y swill" as ut
terly unfit for food and the milk pro-
duced by COWS fed on it rs dangerous to
use, others, whose opinion is equally au-
thOritive, claim that COWS 50 fed continue
in good condition, and produce nutri-
tiOus and wholesome milk. They con-
slder that, when the cows show evidence
of disease, it is due to the crowded and
unsanitary condition likely to prevail in
city stables.